Surgical stapling instruments are used in many life-saving surgical procedures. Surgical staples are usually mechanically inserted into tissue using surgical stapling instruments. In such devices, the staples are loaded into a cartridge in one or more elongated rows. A mechanism for pushing, or driving the stapler is actuated to drive the staples through two or more sections of tissue toward a deforming anvil. At the conclusion of the driving operation, the legs of each staple are clamped or bent, by the anvil, to a closed configuration to complete the suture and join the tissue sections together. Some surgical stapling devices drive and bend the staples aligned in a row sequentially in rapid sequence, while transverse surgical stapling devices drive and bend all staples simultaneously.
Known staple legs usually have a generally circular or rectangular configuration. However, the sharp transitions of the near square corners, where the staple penetrates tissue, may cause a leak path at the corners. Thus, the square corners do not allow for substantially equal pressure against all portions of the staple wire cross-section.
Thus, it would be desirable to provide a staple configuration for a staple designed to penetrate tissue and contact an anvil pocket on the opposing side of tissue, which, in complement with conventional cartridge and anvil technology, enhances correct staple formation while reducing leakage or tearing caused by sharp edges or corners at the distal end of the legs of staples.